


Better and Worse

by LyriaFrost



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Some Swearing, it does have Michael in it after all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-15
Updated: 2014-01-15
Packaged: 2018-01-08 21:22:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1137529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LyriaFrost/pseuds/LyriaFrost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gavin is feeling stressed after getting very little time with his lovers over the Christmas season, and when Michael is especially rude one day, Gavin simply breaks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better and Worse

**Author's Note:**

> I've posted 16 works for this fandom in just over a month... I really need to work on some of my other stories, but my inspiration only strikes for little stories like these. Kind of inspired by the latest podcast (#253). Also an attempt to try to write stories with more dialogue in them.

"Gavin, let me ask you a question. Why are you such a fucking asshole?" Gavin paused for a moment, beer pressed to his lips, simply watching Michael for a moment before murmuring a little "dunno". He tipped his head back, gulping some beer and closing his eyes to hide the hurt he was feeling. It had been a long few weeks involving a lot of traveling. Gavin had been in England and Los Angeles, Michael and Lindsay to New Jersey and LA (but at a different time), and Ray had stayed behind in Austin. Even when they all got back, there was work to catch up on, and things were further complicated by Geoff being too sick to come to work. Ray had been caught up in AGDQ for the last week, and Gavin has been helping the Ramsey's, so it had been before Christmas since all four lovers had really been together. 

And now, Gavin and Michael were on the podcast with Gus and Burnie, and it was proving to be an awful time for Gavin. Michael was in a horrible mood for some unknown reason, and even though he was hiding it from the audience, he was being especially cruel to Gavin. Honestly, the British man had no idea what to make of it. He couldn't remember doing anything to piss Michael off, nothing more than usual anyway, he had barely seen the Jersey boy except for filming some Let's Plays. But now it was just one comment after another, and Gavin was incredibly relieved when the cameras finally stopped rolling, and he could stop pretending everything was alright. However, even as he walked off set to head to their car, Michael was right behind him, continuing to rag on the younger boy for the usual silly things he had said. 

"Seriously, Gavin, that was so fucking stupid. Of course you can't cry yourself dry, and if you were trying to keep things private, you shouldn't post them on Facebook like a fucking dumbass." 

"Michael, please, stop already. I get it, it was stupid, can we just go home now please?" 

"I dunno, Gav, if I spend much more time with an idiot like you, I might just catch the stupid." Gavin finally whirled around, tears in his eyes as he clenched his fists and yelled at his boyfriend. 

"Well if I'm so stupid then why do you even bother? You know what, just don't... just go on home and forget all about dumb little me. You obviously don't care anyway." With that, Gavin turned and ran out the door. Michael stood there, dumbfounded, wondering why his British lover had just snapped like that, and by the time he ran to catch up to Gavin, the other boy had disappeared. 

"Gavin! Gavin, where are you? Oh, fuck, what did I do..." Unbeknownst to Michael, Gavin himself no longer knew where he had gone. He had run and run, half blinded by tears, until he simply couldn't run anymore. Now he was lost, he didn't recognize the part of the city that he had ended up in, but fortunately it was well lit and still busy, even at the late hour. So all he had to do was find a ride home. But even as he wandered around looking for a taxi, he realized that he really didn't want to go home yet. So he shot Lindsay a quick text, so she and Ray wouldn't be worried when he didn't show up, and then he turned his phone off and continued wandering. 

He spent a couple hours in a loud little college bar, avoiding exceedingly gropey men and women, and thinking about his relationship. He truly did love all three of the people he was involved with, he couldn't remember how life had been happy and fun without them. But he often thought that they were better off without him, that they were getting tired of his stupid jokes and his silly accent and his unattractive face and body. He really couldn't find anything about himself that he thought anyone could fall in love with. And now, with Michael being so snappy today, it only solidified his thoughts that he just didn't belong there. 

Gavin decided to get some fresh air and left the bar, going back to wandering the streets. He somehow found himself on the edge of the lake, right next to a familiar restaurant where he and Michael and Lindsay and Ray had gone on dates many times. And just like that, the young man simply broke down. He sat down hard on the little patch of grass he had found and closed his eyes as he was assaulted by memory after memory. Lunchtime swims and bevs with Michael, Ray teaching him how to play games, cuddling with Lindsay on lazy mornings spent in bed. And Gavin found that he couldn't picture his life without all that. So he turned his phone back on and, ignoring the many missed calls and texts he had, called Lindsay even as he started crying again. She picked up the phone almost immediately. 

"Gavin? Oh my god, Gavin, where are you? It's been hours, we're all frantic, what happened? Oh god, are you alright?" 

"Lin-Lindsay? I need you to come get me, please, I want to come home now." 

"Of course, baby, just tell me where you are, I'll come get you and bring you home." 

"I'm at the lake... by that restaurant we always go to." 

"Alright... I'm getting in the car now, Ray and I are coming to get you, alright? Just stay right there, please don't leave." 

"I'm not leaving, Lindsay, please, I just want to go home now, I'm so sorry." 

"It's alright, sweetheart, don't worry about it, everything will be okay now. I'm going to give the phone to Ray, alright? And he's going to keep talking to you while I drive. I'll see you in a little while." 

"Okay... thanks, Linds." 

"Vav? Hey there, bud. Nice to hear your voice again. Lindsay needs both hands to drive now, so I guess it's my turn to talk. You still there?" 

"Yeah... I'm here, Ray. It's, um... its really good to hear your voice right now." There was a long pause on the other end, so long that Gavin was afraid he might have lost the other man, but then Ray was back, speaking a little thickly now. 

"Yeah, it's good to hear your voice too, Gavin." There was a little pause, a sigh on the other end, and then Ray started up again. "Well then, I think it'd be a good time to tell you all about the new achievement I just got today-" And so Ray kept on talking for the 15 minutes it took Lindsay to find the little patch of grass Gavin was now laying on, but Gavin barely noticed the time pass as he just soaked up the soothing sounds of Ray talking about everything and nothing. He barely registered when the voices were no longer coming from the phone, but instead from the two people right next to him. 

"Gavin, can you open your eyes now? We're right here, babe, please talk to us." 

"Lindsay, here, let me try something." Gavin felt two arms encircle his waist and drag him upright, and he soon found himself sitting up again, propped up against a warm body behind him. There were arms wrapped around him still, and more flitting about his body as Lindsay checked him for injuries. 

"S'alright, Linds... m'not hurt at all." Gavin opened his eyes finally, looking at the red-headed woman kneeling in front of him. "Just want to go home now... is Michael there?" Gavin saw a little flash of something in Lindsay's eyes, but it was quietly stamped out. 

"He is... he was out looking for you, but Ray and I eventually convinced him to come back home. He told us about what happened, he didn't realize what he was doing to you." 

"I know... it's just been so long, Linds. And it hurt..." Ray tightened his arms around Gavin as he spoke, and Lindsay gave him a hug, both just holding the distraught boy close. 

"It'll be okay, Gav. No matter what, Michael still loves you, we all still love you. And he's waiting at home, he's absolutely furious at himself for hurting you. Are you ready to go home now and talk to him?" 

"Please, I want to go home, I've missed all of you so much on vacations and with work." 

"I know, sweetie. Now c'mon, let's go hop in car." Ray helped Gavin stand up and kept their hands entwined as he led him to the car. They both climbed in the backseat, keeping Gavin pressed close to him, knowing that physical affection was very reassuring to the British man. Lindsay was driving, and she and Ray kept up a steady stream of quiet conversation. Even once they made it back, Ray refused to let go of his hand, and led him up the stairs to their little apartment. They stopped outside, as Lindsay went in to talk to Michael. 

"Gavin..." Ray stood there, looking at Gavin for a moment, and Gavin simply stared back, wondering what Ray was looking for. Whatever it was, Ray seemed to find it, because he smiled and brought his hands up to cradle Gavin's face. "I know I don't say it often enough, I'm not a man of many words. But I do love you, Gavin, I love you so much, more than my videogames even." Gavin laughed a little, brushing his lips against Ray's. 

"Thank you, Ray. I love you too." Just then, Lindsay came back out, closing the door over behind her. 

"Alright, Gavin. Are you ready to go in now?" 

"Yeah, just one more thing." He grabbed Lindsay's hand and spun her around, dipping her low and kissing her softly. "Thanks for putting up with my shit." She grinned mischievously as he stood her up again. 

"Yeah, yeah, you're lucky I love you. Now get in there already." Ray and Lindsay barreled into the apartment, laughing and joking with one another as they headed to the kitchen to resume their interrupted dinner preparations. Gavin followed more quietly, slipping through the doorway and closing it quietly. Michael was there, sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands, but he looked up when he caught Gavin's movements. When their eyes met, Gavin gasped as he saw all the pain and hurt and self-loathing there, and he hurried forward and dropped to his knees in front of the curly haired man. 

"Michael, oh Michael, it's okay. Really, I was just being stupid today, it wasn't your fault, don't look that way, please, it's okay." Michael leaned forward, pressing his head against Gavin's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around the other man. 

"I'm sorry, Gav, I don't know why but I was acting like such an asshole today and you didn't deserve that and I really didn't mean to hurt you, that wasn't my intention." 

"I know, Michael, it's okay." Michael grabbed Gavin's arms and pulled him up into his lap, holding Gavin tightly. 

"It's not okay, and I'm so mad at myself, but I promise I still love you so much. Please, I know I don't deserve it, but please give me another chance?" Gavin clung to Michael's shirt, a few tears slipping down his face. 

"I couldn't dream of doing anything else. I just love you too much. I thought about it today, thought about leaving, but then I realized that I couldn't get any further than that, there simply isn't anything for me outside of the three of you." 

"I'm glad, cause I can't dream of anything outside of all four of us being together either. I'm sorry, Gavin." 

"I know, Michael. It's okay." The two of them simply sat together, not really moving at all as they both struggled to bring themselves under control. Just then, Lindsay and Ray swept into the room, carrying serving platters full of food, plates, drinks, and everything else they needed for dinner. They plopped down on either side of the men on the couch, Ray pulling Gavin towards him while Lindsay pulled Michael, so that they were all spread over each other. Ray and Lindsay were still chatting at a mile a minute, even as they served up the food and handed plates around, and soon they were all settled in front of some romantic comedy movie that Lindsay had been asking to watch for weeks. Things weren't perfect, but they were better, and Gavin knew that things would always get better, even when they got worse.


End file.
